Automatically completing spreadsheet entries is a useful tool, particularly for large data entry projects where a user is tasked with entering duplicative data. For example, a user may be required to repeatedly enter the same word or phrase within a column of a spreadsheet, and the “autocomplete” function found in many spreadsheets programs simplifies this task by providing suggestions for completed entries as a user stars to enter data within a spreadsheet cell.
While spreadsheets may be used to present data from many different sources, the autocomplete function has typically been limited to providing suggestions for data entries found within the current spreadsheet. Thus, when a user attempts to address data sources separate from the spreadsheet, such as linking to an entry within a separate database, the user is not prompted with any autocomplete suggestions for the various data locations within the database. This problem may be compounded by the fact that the user is not familiar with the layout or configuration of the database, as well as the fact that the format or syntax of the database may not be intuitive to the user. For example, the user may not know the predefined dimensional labels for a particular database, or the data sources may use complex and non-intuitive command or programming languages. Furthermore, even if a user is familiar with the underlying database structure and syntax, the user will still be required to manually input long strings (i.e., addresses within the database) when linking data from the database within the spreadsheet. Any typographical error or mistake in the syntax of a database label or command will produce an error in the resulting spreadsheet. It is with respect to these and other considerations that the subject of the present disclosure has been made.